Blog - KICKS

Welcome to the first installment of 1000 WORDS
WITH; our new
online Q&A series featuring icons, influencers and cultural movers and
shakers who also happen to be ATW customers.

We christen our first piece with a Wisconsin native who
personifies good ol’ fashion hustle. He’s a bonafide Hip-Hop head; devout
family man; and designer of funky footwear at a shoe company you might’ve heard
of. His name is Tony Hardman; and if that name doesn’t ring a bell, that’s
unimportant. What
is important is
that he designs fly and functional kicks that enhance your athletic performance
and keep
you, your homie and your
favorite NBA player’s sneaker game lit.
Enjoy the vibes!

Koe
Rodriguez

Founder
/ Owner ATW

ATW: Thanks for making time to speak with
us, Tony. Please tell us what you do for a living and how you got started.

TH: The pleasure is all mine! As you
know, I’m a huge fan of the ATW brand, so I’m honored to be a part of it. I’ve
been designing footwear at Nike for the last 7 years, with the last 5
specifically in the basketball category. Honestly, it was a dream come true
that started way back for me. In my high school days, like early 90’s, I was a
crazy Jordan fan. The
Come Fly With Me
tape changed my life, and I remember the first time I saw this cat in the hall
wearing the black AJ V’s; I just stopped him and was stooped over checking out
his kicks. Big reflective tongue; Clear rubber outsole; the rubber netting on
the side with the silver flames. It was the first time that I had that
revelation about how design really has the power to move people. And I think
from that point forward I wanted to design kicks because it was just the
perfect blend of art and basketball, the 2 things I loved most.

ATW: Your portfolio boasts nearly 30 pairs of basketball shoes with
athletes such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant and most recently, Paul George,
with the release of his first signature model, the PG 1. Walk us through creating a shoe for an NBA star, including
player input and creative compromises.

TH:
Working with the athlete directly is really the pinnacle of what we do. It
gives us a chance to hopefully make them better at what they do and create
something that expresses their personal style in a way that not many brands can
do. With Paul, for example, we kicked the process off with him at his home in
Indy. We took a day and chopped it up about sneakers, what he liked and didn’t
like, went through his closet and just got to know who he was as a person. As
you might know, he suffered a nasty leg injury that kept him out of the game
for about a year, so the entire process for the shoe was almost 3 years.
Typically it takes about 18 months to 2 years. So he was super involved and it
gave us a chance to really include him in the process; from napkin sketches to
final concept. We definitely had a few things that we didn’t necessarily agree
on along the way, but I like to keep the process organic and ultimately we
tried to give him what HE wanted. That’s the whole point of making a signature.
At the same time, that input varies from project to project. There are
instances where we have to kind of take what we know about a player and execute
without specific feedback along the way. It just depends.

ATW: As a designer myself, I know how
cool and rewarding it is to see someone, especially someone famous, rockin’
your work. How do you feel when see someone (famous or not) in a pair of shoes
you designed?

TH: Oh man, it’s amazing! That feeling never gets old.
Even if it’s a 60 year-old lady you see at the bus stop or something, it’s
always cool to think “out of all the shoes to choose from in the world, this
person felt some kind of connection to my work.” The other thing I love about
designing for the game of basketball in particular is that those kicks become
immortalized through some of the biggest and most exciting moments in sports
history. It’s hard to even fathom.

ATW: We’re happy to call one of Nike’s
finest designers a loyal ATW customer. How did you find out about us and what
are you most happy with regarding our product, and brand overall?

TH:
What I love most about ATW is that it’s authentic to the culture. A lot of
brands feel like cash-grab Hip-Hop exploitation level stuff. With ATW it’s more
of a tribute to the original artists and moments that made Hip-Hop what it is.
It connects with the older generation that lived through those times in a real
way but also feels like a way to teach the new generation where all of this creative
brilliance came from. From an actual product standpoint, there’s no corners cut
on the craftsmanship, materials or design. I think that’s what brings me back.
I’m still rockin’ the OG tees that I copped a while back and they all look and
fit damn near like new. You can’t find that level of quality very often these
days.

ATW:
People collect great tees like they collect great kicks. In your opinion, what
makes apparel and footwear so collectible, and what role does design play in this?

TH: I think what we wear is the
greatest expression of who we are before anyone hears us speak. So to have a
product that really speaks to someone and allow them to express themselves is a
powerful thing. Design is obviously super important as it determines what that
expression is.

ATW: Which one of yours shoes are you
most proud of, and why?

TH: I can definitely say the PG 1 is one of my favorites. It really
reflects Paul’s personality, and he’s such an amazing person. I did a low top
called the Hyperchase a few years ago that I loved just because it was simple
and modern, but still had great character in my eyes. The simplest ones are
always the hardest!

ATW: The pleasure
was all ours, Tony. Any parting words or upcoming projects you’d like to share?

TH:
Thanks for having me! Def be on the lookout for the next few evolutions of PG’s
line. There are some other really cool things on the way that obviously I can't
share yet, but definitely excited to share them with the world. Looking forward
to the latest from ATW as well!